Shoulder press exercise machine

ABSTRACT

An exercise machine suitable for performing a shoulder press has a support frame with a seat mounted on the front portion thereof. A pair of similar lever members are pivotally supported by means of sleeve bearings on axles mounted on the rear portion of the support member. The lever members and their support bearings are located at a level below the top of the seat. The axles are angled away from the central axis of the support member and run parallel to the base of the support member. The lever members are positioned in opposing relationship with the rear portions thereof substantially parallel to each other and with the forward portions extending angularly away from each other in the forward direction. Handles are mounted on the forward ends of the levers. Removable weights are mounted on each of the levers proximate to the handles. The angulation of the support axles is such as to effect a converging and rotating motion of the exerciser&#39;s arms when the levers are drawn upwardly over the exerciser&#39;s head.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] This invention relates to exercise machines and more particularly to a shoulder press exercise machine having a forward seat and liftable weighted lever arms pivotally supported to the rear of the seat.

[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art

[0004] Experience has indicated that in an exercise involving the lifting of weights above one's head that a converging of the exercisers' arms directly over his or her head is the natural and best way of performing this exercise. This type of exercise with the exerciser seated is generally referred to as a shoulder press.

[0005] Various prior art such exercisers for performing such a shoulder or military press exercise are described in the prior art including U.S. Pat. No. 5,554,089 issued Sep. 10, 1996 to Jones and U.S. Pat. No. 5,971,896 issued Oct. 26, 1999 to Giannelli et al. In both of these patents, the handles used by the exerciser are attached to weighted levers which are connected to pivots to the rear of the exerciser seat at a location above the seat with the pivot axes tilting downwardly towards the centerline of the device. This makes for a device having overall dimensions which extend from its base to a point above the top of the seat. Further, the pivots and levers of these devices are somewhat complicated and bulky in design. The device of the present invention has a simpler and more compact lever and pivotal support mechanism than prior art devices which is to the rear of the seat and beneath the top of such seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] The device of the present invention has a support frame for supporting a seat on a floor in a stable upright position. The frame has an elongated bar extending from the rear to the front thereof. A seat for the exerciser is supported on the front or forward end of the bar while pivotal supports for lever arms are mounted on the rear end of the bar. The pivotal supports are located below the top of the seat, preferably at the level of the exerciser's shoulders, and are formed by axles which are angled rearwardly away from the bar and run parallel to the base of the support frame(and the floor on which the frame is supported). The lever arms are attached to sleeves which are rotatably fitted onto the axles and form sleeve bearings therewith.

[0007] The pair of lever arms are positioned opposite each other, the rear portions thereof running substantially parallel to each other and the front portions extending angularly away from each in the forward direction past the seat. Handles for use by the exerciser are mounted on the a forward ends of the lever arms. Weights are removably supported on each of the lever arms in proximity to the handles. The exerciser, while seated in the seat provided, pushes the handles upwardly in an arc to a position over his or her head, the arms being carried by the levers to a converging and rotated position.

[0008] It is therefore an objection of this invention to provide a shoulder exercise machine of simpler, more economical, and more compact construction.

[0009] It is a further object of this invention to provide a shoulder exerciser in which the arms of the user converge in a bio mechanically correct manner.

[0010] Other objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011]FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention;

[0012]FIG. 2 is front top elevational view illustrating the use of the preferred embodiment of the invention by an exerciser;

[0013]FIG. 3 is a front elevational view illustration the use of the preferred embodiment of the invention by an exerciser; and

[0014]FIG. 4 is in an exploded view of the preferred embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] Referring now to the Figures, a preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated.

[0016] Support frame 11 has a rear base cross bar 11 a running across the rear thereof and a base bar 11 b at right angles to bar 11 a which runs forwardly therefrom. A rear vertical bar 11 c runs upwardly from the center of base cross bar 11 a. A pair of curved and angulated bars 11 d run on opposite sides of vertical bar 11 c between the top portion of bar 11 c and the opposite end portions of base bar 11 b, respectively. A forward vertical bar 11 e runs upwardly from the forward portion of bar 11 b and provides a support for seat 12. The central axes of vertical bars 11 c and 11 e are along the central plane A-A of the support frame. A top bar 11 f runs between seat 12 and the top portion of rear vertical bar 11 c. The frame rests firmly on the floor 13 with bar 11 b being along the central vertical plane A-A of the frame.

[0017] A pair of opposing lever arms 14 and 15 have rear parallel portions 14 a and 15 a and forward portions 14 b and 15 b which run angularly away from each other as well as bar 11 f and plane A-A. Handle portions 14 c and 15 c are formed on the extreme ends of each of the lever arms and have handles 16 and 17 formed thereon respectively for use by the exerciser in raising and lowering the lever arms. Weights 18 and 19 are removably supported on bars 20 and 21, respectively, which are attached to bar portions 14 b and 15 b respectively. Extra weights 22 of different values which can be used to replace weights 18 and 19 are supported on bars 23 which extend from frame 11.

[0018] The rear ends of lever arms 14 and 15 are pivotally supported on pivotal bearings 25 and 26 formed by pivot axles 25 a and 26 a which extend from the upper rear portion of frame 11 and bearing sleeves 25 b and 26 b. The pivot axes B of bearings 25 and 26 are parallel to the base of frame 11 and run angularly away from plane A-A at an angle of 30-45 degrees with 35 degrees being optimum for best exercising.

[0019] Thus, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, when the exerciser grasps handles 16 and 17 and raises his or her arms upwardly, lever arms 14 and 15 pivot upwardly on their respective pivotal bearings 25 and 26 in a manner such that the arms and hands converge together in a rotating manner towards the extreme upward position.

[0020] While the invention has been described and illustrated in detail it is to be understand that this is intended by way of illustration and example only, the scope of the invention being limited by the terms of the following claims. 

I claim:
 1. An exercise machine for use by an exerciser in performing a shoulder press comprising: a support frame having rear and forward portions and a base portion which rests on a support surface; a seat mounted on the forward portion of said support frame, the top of said seat extending above said support frame; a pair of longitudinally oriented opposing lever arms which extend from the rear portion of the support frame to a position forward of the back of the seat; a weight removably mounted on each of said lever arms; a handle mounted on the forward end of each of said lever arms; and a pivotal support for pivotally supporting each of the ends of the lever arm rear portions for rotation on the support frame about predetermined axes.
 2. The machine of claim wherein the pivotal support is positioned approximately at the shoulder level of the exerciser when seated in said seat.
 3. The exercise machine of claim 1 wherein said pivotal supports each comprises an axle mounted on the rear portion of said frame and a sleeve rotatably supported on the axle, said sleeves each being attached to an end of an associated one of said lever arms, said axles extending angularly away from each other at an angle of 60-90 degrees.
 4. The machine of claim 3 wherein the axles extend away from each other at an angle of approximately 70 degrees.
 5. The machine of claims 1 and 3 wherein the lever arms have rear portions which are substantially parallel to each other and forward portions which run angularly away from each other to positions forward of the back of the seat.
 6. The machine of claim 3 wherein the rotation axes of said pivotal supports are substantially parallel to the base of said frame.
 7. The machine of claims 1 and 3 wherein said frame has forward and rear vertical bars and a top bar running between the top portions of said forward and rear vertical bars, the central axis of said frame corresponding to the central axes of said bars.
 8. An exercise machine for use by an exerciser in performing a shoulder press comprising: a support frame having rear and forward portions, said frame including a rear base bar running across the rear of the base thereof, a rear vertical bar running upwardly from the center portion of said rear base bar, a forward vertical bar running upwardly, a fore-aft base bar running between said forward and rear vertical bars, an angulated bar running between each of the opposite end portions of said rear base bar and the top of said rear vertical bar, and a fore-aft top bar running between the top portions of said rear and forward vertical bars; a seat mounted on said forward vertical bar, the top of said seat extending above said support frame; a pair of horizontally oriented opposing lever arms having rear portions which are substantially parallel to each other and having forward portions which run angularly away from each other and extend forward of the back of said seat; a handle mounted on the forward end of each of said lever arms: a pivotal support for supporting each of the ends of the rear portions of said lever arms on said support frame, said pivotal supports each comprising an axle supported on the rear end of said frame and a sleeve rotatably supported on said axle, said sleeves each being attached to the end of an associated one of said lever arms, said axles extending angularly away from each other and away from the central axis of said rear vertical bar, said axles running substantially parallel to the base of said frame; and a weight removably mounted on each of said lever arms.
 9. The machine of claim 8 wherein the pivotal supports are positoned at approximately the same level as the exerciser's shoulders with the exerciser seated in said seat.
 10. The machine of claim 8 wherein said axles extend away from each other at an angle of 60-90 degrees.
 11. The machine of claim 10 wherein said axles extend away from each other at an angle of substantially 70 degrees. 